When we were writing “Who’s Your Gladys?” we interviewed Singapore Airlines, learning how they are able to charge higher airfare because their service is so exquisite. To me, the most intriguing aspect of their process was their hiring practices. They watch their potential new hires as they wait in a room for an extended time period with other hopefuls. Those who take the initiative and serve tea to the others in the room immediately achieve higher rankings and are more likely to join the Singapore Air team.
In the twenty-five years I’ve been in the business world, I’ve met all types of people. From curmudgeons to the happy-go-lucky, I’ve encountered personality types too numerous to count. I’ve always found it extremely interesting how many crabby people end up in service positions. How does that happen?
Quick example — My husband and I did our grocery shopping this weekend on late Saturday afternoon. As we went through the line and I loaded our items onto the belt, I noticed a woman join me in line. I put the divider stick (at least that’s what i call it), down on the conveyor and went on to pay the tab.
Someone whose overall demeanor leans toward pessimism will most likely continue to be that way.
As I waited for my transaction to go through, I overhead the cashier talking quietly to herself under her breath. “I hate it when people don’t put things back where they got them,” she mumbled, as she glared at the woman behind me. “That doesn’t go there.” The other customer had moved the stick and placed it on the metal toward the end of the conveyor, out of the cashier’s reach. I guess that’s a big no-no at this particular grocery store? It was odd and I couldn’t imagine why this service provider would get upset about such a small thing. While she managed to get through my purchase without any more comments, I could tell that she was still miffed about the customer’s apparent error.
I wondered what type of screening this team member had undergone before she was hired. Why? Because I’m believe that a leopard doesn’t change its spots. They may fade a bit with lots of support and training, but the spots will always be visible. In this case, this cashier appeared to be in the wrong position for her demeanor. Someone whose overall demeanor leans toward pessimism will most likely continue to be that way. Someone who “doesn’t like people” probably won’t wake up one morning and decide that they do.
How can you be sure you’re hiring the right people for your customer contact positions? There are several online pre-employment tests that can be administered rather inexpensively, or you can hire a management consultant to help you with the interview process. If you’re a small business, there are several things you can do yourself to get a feeling for a potential new staff member’s point-of-view.
Here are a few suggestions:
Notice your first impression. When you first meet an interviewee, are they upbeat and optimistic? Do they have a firm handshake? Do they look you in the eye with a natural smile? Do they appear to be someone who could properly engage your customers?
Ask situational questions. A great way to get someone’s true thoughts and feelings is to ask them about situations they’ve been in and how they felt when it ended. For example, “Give me an example of a time when you were under extreme stress at work. What did you do and how did the situation turn out? How did you feel when it was all over?”
Make them wait. Impatient people are not the best people to serve customers. If you’re having a busy day, have your receptionist ask the job candidate to wait for fifteen or twenty minutes. They shouldn’t mind, though if they do, you’ll know that they may not be patient with your customers either. Ask the person at your front desk about their demeanor. Did they make polite conversation? You can learn a lot from this exercise.
Leave out the “like.” Never hire someone because you “like” them. It’s so easy to get caught up in how someone presents themselves to the point where you don’t dig any deeper. Dig. And then dig some more. If you don’t typically interview the person at least three times, call three professional references and do pre-employment screening, start now. You’re more likely to hire the best candidate for the position if you do your due diligence.
Following these suggestions will help you avoid hiring a leopard when you really need a tiger. After all, hiring someone who’s not right for your customer service position isn’t doing them – or your customers – any favors.
What do you think? Can you recall a time when you hired the wrong person? Looking back over the hiring process, how could you have been more thorough?
written by Lori Jo Vest for www.whosyourgladys.com/blog#p#分页标题#e#
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